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Enron Mail |
Long but truthful. . . . . .
Subject: The Gospel in a nutshell < < < < < < < The day is over, you are driving home. You tune in your radio. < <You < < < hear < < < < < < a little blurb about a little village in India where some < <villagers < < < have < < < < < < died suddenly, strangely, of a flu that has never been seen < <before. < < < Its not < < < < < < influenza, but three of four people are dead, and its kind of < < < < < < interesting, and they are sending some doctors over there to < < < investigate it. You < < < < < < don't think much about it, but on Sunday, coming home from church, < <you < < < hear < < < < < < another radio spot. Only they say its not three villagers, its < <30,000 < < < < < < villagers in the back hills of this particular area of India, and < <it's < < < < < < on TV that night. CNN runs a little blurb; people are heading < <there < < < from the disease control center in Atlanta because < < < < < < this disease strain has never been seen before. By Monday morning < < < when you get up, its the lead story. < < < < < < For its not just India; its Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and < <before < < < you know it, you're hearing this story everywhere < < < < < < and they have coined it "the mystery flu." The President has made < < < some comment that he and everyone are < < < < < < praying and hoping that all will go well over there. But everyone < <is < < < wondering, How are we going to contain it? < < < < < < < < < That's when the President of France makes an announcement that < <shocks < < < Europe. He is closing their borders. No < < < < < < flights from India, Pakistan or any of the countries where this < <thing < < < has been seen. And that's why that night you are < < < < < < watching a little bit of CNN before going to bed. Your jaw hits < <your < < < chest when a weeping woman is translated < < < < < < from a French news program into English; There's a man lying in a < < < hospital in Paris < < < < < < dying of the mystery flu. It has come to Europe. Panic strikes. < <As < < < best < < < < < < they can tell, once you get it you have it for a week before you < <know < < < it. < < < < < < Then you have four days of unbelievable symptoms. And then you < <die. < < < Britain < < < < < < closes its borders, but its too late. South Hampton, Liverpool, < <North < < < Hampton and its Tuesday morning when the < < < < < < President of the United States makes the following announcement: < <"Due < < < to a national security risk, all flights to and < < < < < < from Europe and Asia have been canceled. If your loved ones are < < < overseas, I'm sorry. They cannot come back until we < < < < < < find a cure for this thing." Within four days our nation has been < < < plunged into an unbelievable fear. People are < < < < < < talking about "What if it comes to this country"? < < < < < < < < < And preachers on Tuesday are saying Its the scourge of God. It's < < < Wednesday < < < < < < night and you are at a church prayer meeting when somebody runs in < < < from the < < < < < < parking lot and says "Turn on a radio, turn on a radio!" And while < <the < < < < < < church listens to a little transistor radio with a microphone < <stuck < <up < < < to it, the announcement is made. Two women are < < < < < < lying in a Long Island hospital dying from the mystery flu. Within < < < hours it seems, this thing just sweeps across the < < < < < < country. People are working around the clock trying to find an < < < antidote. Nothing is working. California, Oregon, < < < < < < Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts. It's as though it's just < <sweeping < <in < < < from the borders. And then all of a sudden the < < < < < < news comes out. The code has been broken. A cure can be found. A < < < vaccine can be made. Its going to take the blood of < < < < < < somebody who hasn't been infected and so, sure enough, all through < <the < < < Midwest, through all those channels of emergency < < < < < < broadcasting, everyone is asked to do one simple thing: Go to your < < < local hospital and have your blood < < < < < < type taken. That's all we ask of you. When you hear the sirens go < <off < < < in your neighborhood, please make your way < < < < < < quickly, quietly and safely, to the hospitals. Sure enough, when < <you < < < and your family get down there late < < < < < < < < < < < < on that Friday night, there is a long line and they've got nurses < <and < < < doctors coming out and pricking fingers and < < < < < < taking blood and putting labels on it. < < < < < < Your spouse and your kids are out there, and they take your blood < <type < < < and they say, "Wait here in the parking lot and < < < < < < if we call your name you can be dismissed and go home." You stand < < < around, scared, with your neighbors, < < < < < < wondering what in the world is going on and if this is the end of < <the < < < world. < < < < < < < < < < < < Suddenly a young man comes running out of the hospital screaming. < < < He's yelling a name and waving a clipboard. What? < < < < < < He yells it again! And your son tugs on your jacket and says," < <Daddy, < < < that's me." Before you know it, < < < < < < they have grabbed your boy. Wait a minute. Hold on!" And they < <say, < < < It's okay, his blood is clean. His blood is pure. < < < < < < We want to make sure he doesn't have the disease. We think he < <has < < < got the right type." Five tense < < < < < < minutes later, out come the doctors and nurses crying and hugging < <one < < < < < < another -- some are even laughing. Its the first time you have < <seen < < < anybody < < < < < < laugh in a week, and an old doctor walks up to you and says, < <"Thank < < < you sir. Your son's blood type is perfect. It's < < < < < < clean, it is pure, and we can make the vaccine. As the word < <begins < <to < < < spread all across that parking lot full < < < < < < of folks, people are screaming and praying and laughing and < <crying. < < < But then the gray-haired doctor pulls you and your < < < < < < wife aside and says, "May we see you for a moment? We didn't < <realize < < < that the donor would be a minor and we need.....we < < < < < < need you to sign a consent form." < < < < < < < < < < < < You begin to sign and then you see that the number of pints of < <blood < < < to be taken is empty. H-h-h-ow many pints?" you < < < < < < ask. And that is when the old doctor's smile fades. "We had no < <idea < < < it would be a little child. We < < < < < < weren't prepared. We need it all!" "But- but... I don't < <understand. < < < He's my only son!" < < < < < < < < < < < < "We are talking about the world here. Please sign. We ... we < <need < <it < < < all!" < < < < < < < < < < < < "But can't you give him a transfusion?" < < < < < < < < < < < < "If we had clean blood we would. Please, will you please sign?" < <In < < < numb silence, you do. Then they say, "Would you < < < < < < like to have a moment with him before we begin?" < < < < < < < < < < < < Could you walk back? Could you walk back to that room where he < <sits < < < on a < < < < < < table saying, "Daddy? Mommy? What's going on?" Could you take his < < < hands and say, < < < < < < "Son, your mommy and I love you and we would never ever let < <anything < < < happen to you that didn't just have to be. < < < < < < Do you understand that?" < < < < < < < < < < < < And when that old doctor comes back in and says, "I'm sorry, we've < <got < < < to get started. < < < < < < People all over the world are dying." < < < < < < < < < < < < Could you leave? Could you walk out while he is saying, "Dad? < <Mom? < < < Dad? < < < < < < Why ... why have you forsaken me? Why have you left me?" And < <then < < < next week, when they have the < < < < < < ceremony to honor your son for the sacrifice of ONE life in order < <that < < < the world may live, and some folks sleep through < < < < < < it, other folks don't even show up because they have better things < <to < < < do, and some folks come with a pretentious smile < < < < < < and just pretend to care and do not truly value the height and < <weight < < < of such a great sacrifice. Worst some < < < < < < even come in protest of the great sacrifice that the Father has < <made < < < in giving the life of His only SON! < < < < < < Would you want to jump up and say, "EXCUSE ME! MY SON DIED FOR < <YOU! < < < DON'T YOU EVEN CARE OR EVEN UNDERSTAND THE < < < < < <SACRIFICE THAT HAS BEEN MADE FOR YOU? DOES IT MEAN NOTHING TO < <YOU?" < < < DOES HIS LIFE AND HIS DEATH MEAN NOTHING TO YOU? < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < I wonder, is that what GOD IS SAYING TO ALL OF US? "MY SON DIED < <FOR < < < YOU! DOES IT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU? < < < < < < DON'T YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I CARE FOR YOU TO HAVE MADE SUCH A GREAT < < < SACRIFICE THAT YOU MAY LIVE?" < < < < < < < < < < < < Father GOD, seeing it from Your eyes should break our hearts and < <cause < < < us to turn and repent. Maybe now we < < < < < < can begin to comprehend the great love you have for us. < < < < < < < < < < < < So that's the gospel in a nutshell. You have a choice. You can < < < either < < < < < < spread it....... or delete it. < < < < < < < < < < < < MERRY CHRISTmas!!! < < < < < < < < < PLEASE REMEMBER THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURECTION OF OUR LORD AND < <SAVIOR < < < JESUS CHRIST!!! < < < < < < JESUS DIED FOR YOU AND HE ROSE AGAIN THAT YOU MAY LIVE IN < <HIM...THE < < < CHOICE TO ACCEPT HIS LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION < < < < < < IS YOURS...AND YOURS ALONE... < < < <
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